Agreement signed for establishing smart metering system to monitor water consumption in Oman

Muscat: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources on Wednesday signed an agreement with Nama Water Services Company for the supply, installation and operation of a smart metering system to measure water consumption within licensed groundwater wells across the governorates of the Sultanate of Oman. 

The system aims to enhance the management of water resources and to ensure their sustainability.

The agreement was signed by Eng. Ali bin Mohammed Al Abri, the Ministry’s Undersecretary for Water Resources, and Qais bin Saud Al Zakwani, CEO of Nama Water Services Company.

The agreement seeks to launch a unified national digital platform for monitoring groundwater consumption. This will be achieved by installing smart meters and connecting them electronically through an integrated system that enables the accurate, real-time flow of data in a manner that facilitates the tracking of consumption indicators, improving the management of water resources and supporting data-driven decision-making.

The first phase of the project deals with the installation and operation of smart meters for about 1,000 licensed wells during the period from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2028. This phase covers the practical handling of related sectors, including wells that supply “Aflaj” (traditional manmade irrigation systems), water bottling units, investment and development projects, sites of agreements on land-use and farms.

The system relies on a local cloud infrastructure and the wireless communication technology “LoRaWAN”. Its features adheres to national standards pertaining to the confidentiality and protection of personal data, cybersecurity and the use of advanced encryption techniques under the supervision of the authorities concerned.

Nama Water Services will fund the project, supply and install the desired meters, manage their operation and oversee the digital platform, while the Ministry will be responsible for monitoring the system and developing regulations and policies on groundwater wells, with the prime objective of ensuring the protection and long-term sustainability of water resources.

The agreement is part of national efforts to consolidate water security and preserve groundwater resources for future generations. The initiative aligns with the Sultanate of Oman’s sustainable development goals.